Social Media and the Beauty Industry
Social media has played a pivotal role in the beauty industry in the digital era.
The beauty industry uses social media for a multitude of purposes.
For marketing, customer engagement, customer feedback, and connecting with social media influencers to promote their products.
Marketing
Social media has a degree of influence in consumers purchasing decisions. The way a beauty brand markets itself on social media has a direct effect on the brands success.
According to Brent Barnhart, beauty brands represent many of the most-followed and active accounts on Instagram. Therefore, beauty brands have proven they know how to use social media to market and grow their brand.
Glossier marketing cloud paint, cheek color, via Instagram.
Ways Beauty Brands Market on Social Media
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Personable Posts
Beauty Brands understand their audience and the beauty community.
It's important for them to post relatable content that connects the brand and the consumer on a personal level.
Examples of this are:
Text overlays
Memes
Inspirational Quotes
This provides the brand with a brand voice, and makes the brand feel more human.
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Give-aways and Contests
Another way beauty brands utilize social media for marketing purposes is by having give-aways and contests.
This allows the brand to connect with the users and reward them for being loyal customers, while also bringing in new customers.
A win-win situation.
The brand makes sales, and gains followers.
The customers win free merchandise.
Social Media Influencers
Beauty brands are known to reach out to social media influencers to promote their products. Social media influencers and beauty bloggers already have their own following of users that trust them and their opinion.
Influencers and beauty brands both benefit from collaborations. Influencers gain the clout of working with a brand, and the brand gains the loyalty of the influencers followers.
Brands reach out to influencers they think embody their brand and goals.
Many, if not all, of these influencers are a part of the online beauty community and have gained their following from other influencers, brands, and followers in the community.
The beauty community spans many social platforms: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest and Tumblr.
YouTube and "Beauty Gurus"
YouTube is a huge social media platform, and many "beauty gurus" use this platform to share reviews, and tutorials to their followers.
YouTube is the second largest search engine, and beauty brands are fully aware and taking advantage of this platform to reach more customers.
According to Gupta, a study has shown that YouTube is a highly influential market place where brands and audiences engage.
Changing the Industry
Just as social media has changed the way consumers purchase products, consumers have been able change the beauty industry in a way they could not before.
Social media allows for brands and customers to engage, which has development user-generated content.
Brands encourage followers to post content of them with or wearing their product with a hashtag, usually to be featured on their account or website. This strategy creates a community for customers.
Social media has given customers the power are change the way beauty brands produce their products, as well what they produce.
An example of this is how the beauty industry has an issue with diversity and inclusivity. Many beauty brands offer numerous foundation shades or products that compliment fair toned women, but only few for women with deeper skin tones.
The power of social media was able to bring more light to this issue, leading brands to come out with more products that satisfy the needs of their consumers.
Skincare
The beauty industry is not just makeup, there is also skincare.
Many brands have used their social media platforms to advocate their brands stance on natural and organic ingredients.
According to CNN, skincare sales have increased by 13% in 2018, while makeup only increased by 1%.
Social media has allowed customers to voice their opinions on the ingredients that go into their skincare and makeup products. Many customers took to social media to find or advocate for natural and organic products, which has led some beauty brands have learned to adopt, and for others have led to the emergence of new brands.
Sources:
Barnhart, B. (2018). The complete guide to social media and the beauty industry. Sprout Social. Retrieved from: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-and-beauty-industry/
Dirshe, S. (2016). More Than Just Hashtags: How social media is changing the beauty industry. Allure. Retrieved from https://www.allure.com/story/social-media-impact-on-beauty-industry
Garcia, A. (2019). The skincare industry is booming, fueled by informed consumers and social media. CNN. Retrieved from: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/10/business/skincare-industry-trends-beauty-social-media/index.html
Grosman, L. (2018). Beauty and Brains: Four ways cosmetic companies are mastering digital marketing. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/09/20/beauty-and-brains-four-ways-cosmetics-companies-are-mastering-digital-marketing/#4a1b9a6640ce
Gupta, R. (2017). Multimedia tool as a predictor for social media advertising – a YouTube way. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 76(18), 18557-18568. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/article/10.1007/s11042-016-4249-6
Maslow, J. (2018). Social Media and the Beauty Industry: How the beauty industry is riding the wave. Social Media Explorer. Retrieved from https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/social-media-and-the-beauty-industry-how-the-beauty-industry-is-riding-the-wave/
Social Media is Reshaping Beauty Product Development. (2016). Global Cosmetic Industry, 184(9), 10-11. Retrieved from https://web-b-ebscohost-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=42082f11-ef19-4ef8-be00-42931d812831%40sessionmgr102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=119375297&db=b9h
These are beauty’s social media leaders. (2018). Global Cosmetic Industry, 186(1), 9-11. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=b9h&AN=127104506&site=ehost-live